Category: Tasmania

  • The Big Garden Fork, Kingston, Tas

    The Big Garden Fork can be found in the outdoor landscaping section of Clennett’s Mitre 10 in Kingston, Tasmania. Trust me, you’ll really dig it!

    For more than two decades this three storey-tall tool has stood proudly in front of the hardware shop. It’s undoubtedly the tallest Big in Tasmania and, delightfully, is completely free to visit – so you won’t have to fork out money to see it.

    But that’s where the good news ends. The Big Fork is poorly positioned behind a chainlink fence and next to pallet of fertiliser, making it difficult to take a photo with.

    Nauseatingly, when I visited there was even a banner in front of The Fork advertising tomatoes, waratahs and – worst of all – peonys, so I was unable to admire its delicately-shaped prongs.

    That sort of behaviour is un-fork-givable. I’d travelled for days, across the hostile waters of Bass Straight and through the uncharted Taswegian jungles, to take a photo with the Fork… and now late-stage capitalism had dashed my dreams.

    “They wouldn’t treat The World’s Biggest Fork this way,” I gasped.

    I found myself, quite literally, at a fork in the road. Should I swallow my pride and walk away, or should I kick up a fuss?

    My inner Karen bubbled forth…

    Born on the Fork of July

    “The positioning of that fork is an affront – I’m going to march into Mitre 10 and give them a piece of my mind,” I muttered to myself, then trotted through the front door of the shop. I was so indignant that I barely noticed a pallet loaded with 40-litre bags of high-quality potting mix for just $13.50 each.

    “You couldn’t make it yourself for that price,” I muttered.

    “Bring me the manager,” I barked at the first checkout chick I saw, then allowed my eyes to linger upon the racks of rakes, generators and power tools. My iridescent rage was cooled by the variety, quality and competitive prices.

    “Bigs,” the manager said as I admired a Ryobi cordless whipper snipper. “Is there something I can help you with?”
    “I’m here to report an affront,” I snapped.
    “An affront?”
    “Yes,” I chuckled, gesturing around at the store. “It’s an affront that my trolley isn’t full of products. Point me towards the nail guns!”

    As I poured my life savings into that trolley, I hoped nobody would realise that I wrote almost the exact same story about The Hardware Man. Oh well.

  • The Queen Bee, Huonville, Tas

    This Big Thing is causing quite a buzz! The Queen Bee – a mesmerising pastiche of scrap metal and surrealism – can be found a short flight north of the riverside village of Huonville.

    ‘Queenie’ is a bee-spoke creation of the un-bee-lievably talented Mick Johnson, and was installed outside The Honey Pot in November of 2019. She’s unmistakably handmade, her lavishly-decorated thorax and rusted metal legs pieced together with thoughtful, almost decadent, care.

    And what about her carved wooden head? It’s simply bee-vine!

    Yes, with her bulging eyes and intricately-detailed forewings – set at a roguish tilt to suggest she may take flight at any moment – Queenie’s no bee-grade roadside attraction.

    At one-and-a-half metres from arousing antennae to sultry stinger, Queenie isn’t as large as the nearby Big Axe or Big Garden Fork, but she’s much larger than an actual insect, so definitely bee-longs on this website.

    Alright, that’s enough bee puns for one entry. Big Things are serious bee-siness, after all!

    Don’t Worry, Bee Happy

    The Honey Pot is a hive of activity, and offers a fine range of lollies, jams, clothing and, of course, jars full of sticky yellow stuff – which is all produced in Tassie. The prices are quite reasonable, so you won’t have to spend much honey to get something special.

    My apolo-bees for that pun – I promise it was the last one!

    The locals, not surprisingly, think the shop – and the black-and-gold Big out front – are the bee’s knees. And so did the Land of the Bigs crew when we rocked up in our Bee-MW (yes, environmentalists, we made sure it was an electronic bee-hicle).

    “Bee prepared, Bee-gella… oops, I mean Bigella,” I giggled, as we stepped out of the car, “for something bee-utiful.”
    “Oh, bee-have yourself, Bee-gs… oops, I mean Bigs,” Bigella retorted. “But I must admit, she’s quite bee-guiling.”

    Framed by the snow-kissed mountains of the Huon Valley, Queenie is a dream to take a photo with. She delights from a distance, but it’s only after descending upon the sculpture that the true extent of her majesty becomes apparent.

    Each shallow dent, each scrape in her paint, tells the tale not only of her creation but, in turn, of the robust history of Tasmanian honey.

    Of course, I didn’t tell Bigella that The Queen Bee and moi have a history together. That’s right – teehee! – we once matched on Bumble!

  • The Warrawee Man, St Helens, Tas

    The Warrawee man, St Helens, Tasmania

    Hey, Mr. Warrawee Man, play a song for me
    I’m quite sleepy and there’s a place I’m goin’ to
    Hey, Mr. Warrawee Man, play a song for me
    In the cool St Helens mornin’ I’ll come followin’ you…

    For the finest bed ‘n’ breakfast in Tasmania, just look for The Warrawee Man! The chap in the hat points the way to the historic Warrawee guesthouse, on the outskirts of the waterside village of St Helens.

    Dashing, dapper and – dare I say it – just a little bit debonair, The Warrawee Man enchants with his moustachioed grin and old world charm. From his handsome necktie to his sensible green slacks, this Big likes to dress to impress!

    Warrawee owner Eric Lawson created the giant gentleman in the 1980s, piecing him together from leftover plumbing supplies – and he quickly became pipe-ular with locals and tourists alike.

    Overlooking the majestic Georges Bay, the Warrawee guesthouse is an oasis of comfort and class along Tassie’s burly east coast. Despite the luxurious beds and peaceful setting, don’t expect a good night’s sleep – you’ll be too busy peeking out the window at the Big Thing in the font yard.

    It’s also a bodacious base for visiting the regions other oversized roadside attractions, such as The Tin Dragon, The Pondering Frog and The Big Thumbs Up..

    Warrawee is the perfect place to spend the night – or a whole Warra-weekend!

    My Weekend with Wee Man

    Bigella, sadly, was unavailable for this trip, so I visited with one of her former beaus – beloved Jackass star, Jason Acuña. Better known as Wee Man, he seemed like the perfect comrade to take to the Warrawee Man.

    As a bonus, his petite stature would emphasise the grand stature of the hatted heartthrob.

    “Oh Bigs, dude,” Wee Man – perched atop a phone book – chirped as we parked outside the bed ‘n’ breakfast. “We certainly make strange bedfellows.”
    “Well, you won’t take up as much of the bed as Bigella does.”
    “Yes,” Wee Man sneered, struggling to look out the window, “she ‘s a bit of a bed-hog, isn’t she?”

    Ignoring his pithy repartee, I helped Wee Man out of the car so we could take some inspirational photos with The Warrawee Man.

    “Dude, I like his top hat,” cheered Wee Man. “Maybe you should get one, Bigs. You know, to cover your bald spot.”
    “Maybe you should get a top hat, Wee Man,” I shot back. “You know, so people stop mistaking you for a garden gnome.”

    Harsh words hung heavy in the sultry St Helens morning. Suddenly, I understood why Bigella jilted Wee Man at the altar.

    “Geez, Bigs, I always thought you were cheap,” Wee Man wheezed, gesturing towards the guesthouse. “But I’m impressed you had enough money for us to stay in a bed ‘n’ breakfast.”
    “Bed ‘n’ breakfast?” I chuckled. “Oh no, Wee Man – when I said BnB, I meant Big Things ‘n’ breakfast. Well, we’ve seen the Big Thing, now I’ll get you a breakfast burrito and pop you on the next ferry back to Munchkinland!”


    xxxxxx

    gentleman
    Wee-Man

    According to my Gran Warrawee was and still most likely is owned by Barb and Eric Lawson. Eric worked for Bell Bay Aluminium and was an incredible wood worker having completed all the cabinetry and renovations of Warrawee. When Eric and Barb took over Warrawee it was aging in need of considerable work.

    Eric built the Warawee man out of plumbing supplies to advertise their BnB which ran first out of the house and then later as they downsized out of the cottage.

    Built in in 1904, Warrawee has commanding views over Georges Bay and on to the hills beyond. Set on seven acres, Warrawee is a quiet, comfortable, smoke free house with a cottage style garden and farmyard animals.

    Each of the main bedrooms and guest lounge has bay views and also open out to the verandah.

  • Robin the Big Pterodactyl, Ulverstone, Tas

    Robin the Pterodactyl, Ulverstone, Tasmania

    Flap on over to Ulverstone’s beloved Dinosaur Park to find Robin. As well as being super cute, she also happens to be one of the most controversial Bigs on the planet.

    You see, there are two tribes in Ulvo. There are those who believe this happy-go-lucky individual is a pterodactyl (an enormous, furious, flesh-guzzling prehistoric beastie), and those who are resolute that Robin is, well, a robin (a tiny, friendly, berry-munching finch-like creature).

    Here’s my theory; Robin shares the park with a big yellow diplodocus, so I believe she started life as a winged thunderlizard, and has subsequently evolved into the mascot for the local Aussie Rules team, the Ulverstone Robins, who play right nextdoor.

    Life does, indeed, find a way.

    I don’t want to get hate mail from any pouting paleontologists or frothing footy full forwards, so let’s just call her Robin the Pterodactyl and leave it at that.

    It’s an appropriate name – within minutes of stepping foot in Ulvo, this beaky babe will be robbin’ your heart!

    Rockin’ Robin

    Built in the mid-70s, Robin is cute, camp and more than a little cartoonish. Obviously drawing inspiration from the oafish pterodactyls featured in animated television program The Flintstones, the designers didn’t hold back with her bulging eyes and impish grin.

    A more animated Big never shall you find.

    The pterrific pterodactyl originally had swings hanging from her wings and could spin around like a top. Whilst the swings are long gone she can, apparently, still rotate – something I learnt long after bidding her farewell.

    Some contact the Spirit, I’m heading back to Tassie to spin the big bird! Or the winged lizard. Please don’t send me any more death threats, I’m trying my best here.

    Robin is a short flap away from Ulverstone’s world-famous Big Globe and another winged wonder – The Big Penguin – is just up the road in (where else?) Penguin. Time to ptero-duck-tyl down and see them – teehee!

    When Bigella, Little Peter Poppins and moi visited, Ulverstone was so cold I thought we were entering another ice age – so Robin must’ve felt right at home.

    After spending what seemed like 65 million years taking the perfect photo, I gathered the gang around to share one of my famously ribald – yet always family friendly – witticisms.

    “Why has nobody ever heard a pterodactyl going to the toilet?” I smirked, waiting a few beats to deliver the punchline. “Because the act of urination is silent!”
    “Biggsy,” Peter said gently. “I believe the punchline is, ‘Because the ‘p’ is silent’.”

    “You’re pterrible, Peter,” I harrumphed. “We don’t deal in ptasteless humour here at Land of the Bigs.”
    “These sorts of jokes come with the pterritory, Bigs,” Peter ptittered. “And I’m having the ptime of my life ptelling them!”

    “Boys, boys, boys,” Bigella inpterrupted. “This is becoming a ptense situation. Ptake a break from the pterodactyl jokes or we’ll never have ptime to see all the Big Things in pTassie!”

    ~ (p)The End ~

  • The Big Cherry, Rosegarland, Tas

    The Big Cherry, Rosegarland, Tasmania

    For the cherry on top of your trip to Tassie, pop on over to beautiful Rosegarland to see the legend-cherry Big Cherry.

    You’ll be cherry glad you did – teehee!

    Diego Wozniak, Editor of the Bigs: Sorry, Biggsy, you’ve already used the word ‘cherry’ four times – ease up, mate.

    No worries, Diego, I’ll get out my diction-cherry to expand my vocabu-cherry. Anyway, dear readers, the plump, juicy Big Cherry is deliciously realistic, with a pinch of cheekiness. Just look at that elegant stem!

    The fabulous fruit is in a ripe position to take a photo with, and can be found atop a pole out the front of Wandin Valley Farms.

    No, not that Wandin Valley. What do you think this is, A Coun-cherry Practice?

    Diego: Bigs, that’s the worst pun you’ve ever written – and that’s saying something. No wonder the sponsors are abandoning this site.

    I’m cherry sorry, Diego, I’ll try to cherry-pick the best jokes from now on. Visit Rosegarland at the right time of year – between October and Janu-cherry – to see the extraordi-cherry sight of cherry trees in full bloom.

    Sadly they don’t host weddings at Wandin Valley Farm. What a shame – it would be the perfect place for a commitment cherry-mony!

    Whilst in the area, you could also get a happy snap with The Big Raspberry, which isn’t cherry far down the road in Westerway.

    Diego: Bigs, the readers are here for information on The Big Cherry. Maybe you could talk about the size of this roadside attraction(about 175cm from top to bottom, or 3.5m if you count the pole). Or let them know what it’s made of (I don’t know – something red?). They’re not here for your tired old puns, most of which were already used for your entries on the Big Cherries in Young, NSW and Pages Flat, SA and Wyuna, Vic.

    Gracias, Diego. I cherry-ish your advice.

    Diego: That’s it, Bigs. I can’t deal with this. I’m taking a…

    Go on, say it.

    Diego: I don’t want to say it…

    Say iiiiiiit!

    Diego: I’m taking… a volun-cherry redundancy.

    Good boy.

  • Callum & Murray, Burnie, Tas

    Callum and Murray, Burnie, Tasmania

    They’re cute, they’re cuddly, they’d probably taste great with tartare sauce and a slice of lemon – please put your tentacles together for the bubble-headed bad boys of Burnie, Callum & Murray.

    Wait a sec. Callum and Murray. Callum, Murray. That almost sounds like calamari. How clever!

    Cal (the pink one) and Muz (the blue one) live in the water play area next to the surf club. But watch out, they’re armed and fabulous!

    Now I know what you’re thinking: “Bigs, these cephalopods – although sufficiently large and oh-so-adorable – only have six legs apiece. Was the local council ripped off by the artist, or were the remaining legs stolen by some local tough guys?

    Neither, my ink-wisitive friend. Callum and Murray are in fact hexapi, mythical six-legged sea beasties with fantastically fashionable shells, who are said to frolic in Burnie’s crystal-clear waters. Apparently they sashay out of the brine in pairs at dawn and squirt people who are just going about their business.

    In a town like Burnie, that seems like a good way to get a punch in the head, but these festive fellows don’t seem too worried about it.

    Despite spending all their time together, I should point out that these swingin’ sea studs are not a couple. They’re just inverte-great mates!

    Weekend at Burnie

    Callum and Murray may have boyish good looks, but they’re hardly new squids on the block. They started out life in 2011 as a relatively milquetoast installation known simply as Burnie Water Sculpture. Created by Arterial Design, the boys were originally plain white, without their handsome faces. They looked exactly the same.

    You might even say they were i-tenticle – teehee!

    Yes, they lit up at night – in a variety of colours, no less – but the mundane molluscs failed to wrap their suckers around the hearts of Tasmanians.

    So in 2023 the council whipped out the sparkly paint to revamp them, and local wordsmith Gabrielle Mundy won a competition to give them a proper name.

    I would’ve called them Squid Rock and Wiggles McGee, but what do I know?

    Now this octo-passionate pair bring a little joy to the world – joining The Big Penguin and The Red Robin as darlings of Tassie’s windswept north coast.

    Forget about hexapis, these guys are more like cutie-pies!


  • The Pondering Frog, Bicheno, Tas

    The Pondering Frog, Bicheno, Tasmania

    Pardon me, but you’re probably pondering: why aren’t I pondering the meaning of life beside The Pondering Frog? A perfectly ponderable puzzle, my perceptive pal.

    The four-metre-tall pontificator is perched outside The Pondering Frog café, which is a hop, skip and a jump from beautiful Bicheno, on Tasmania’s east coast. With his comical bug eyes and pompous expression, this gentle giant appears lost in quiet contemplation.

    He is, perhaps, the thinking man’s Big Thing.

    The altitudinous amphibian was the passion project of the café’s original owner, Collette Dieren, who was toad-ally frog-sessed with frogs. Wanting to promote her business, she tapped local lad Mark Trigg to design something BIG.

    Well, what better way to promote your business than appearing on Land of the Bigs?

    Tony Yunk from Y-Not Fibreglass completed the (surprise, surprise) fibreglassing, whilst Aaron Reader took care of the metal frame.Teamwork makes the green work!

    The Pondering Frog was installed to much fanfare in April of 2023, right next to the café’s beloved frog-shaped slide – which is perfect for the tadpoles!

    There are leaps – oops, I mean heaps! – of froggy trinkets on sale inside the shop. They also have some pretty special beers in the fridge – but they were a bit too hoppy for me.

    So grab a frogaccino and park yourself at one of the outdoor tables to admire this thoughtful giant (if the weather Kermits, of course).

    The Ponder Years

    A pale polish of precipitation descended upon Bicheno as Bigella, Little Peter Poppins and moi pranced into The Pondering Frog. The café, that is, not the statue – it would get a bit cramped in there.

    Moments later, a smartly-dressed waitress set down plates of frogalicious food. Honey chicken for myself and seafood chowder for Bigella. Peter, not surprisingly, went for the legendary garlic prawns.

    “This has been an un-frog-ettable stopover,” I smirked, popping a tender morsel into my mouth. Bigella, for some reason, didn’t buckle over in fits of laughter, so I said it again – a little louder this time. “An un-FROG-ettable stopover.”

    “You don’t have to ribbit yourself,” Bigella sighed. “And anyway, you copied that joke word-for-word from the café’s website. You could call it polliwog-giarism.”

    “Ouch,” I gasped. “Your words hurt, but I appreciate the croak. Oops, I mean the joke! What’s wrong, toots?”
    “Bigs, you know I love oversized roadside attractions, but sometimes…”
    “Sometimes?”

    “Sometimes I’d like to see something other than Big Things. Tasmania is awash with waterfalls and animals and mountains and restaurants, but we’ve spent the entire trip racing from The Big Globe to The Big Axe to The Big Blue Head. We didn’t even get to see any penguins because you were too busy taking photos of The Big Penguin.”

    “We’re on a tight schedule,” I bristled. “We could’ve either gone on the helicopter tour of Wineglass Bay, with a six-course degustation dinner, or seen a big concrete frog. I’m comfortable with my decision.”

    Bigella ladelled chowder into her mouth, smiled, and peered out at The Pondering Frog. “You’re right, Bigs. This is exactly where I want to be.”

    “That’s the beauty of Big Things,” Peter pipped, plucking a prawn from his plate. “They take us to places we never would have visited otherwise. They’re magical like that.” Every head in the room nodded solemnly.

    “Well, we’d better hop to it,” I grinned froggishly. “That dragon in St Helens won’t photograph herself.”
    “Yes, it’s time to hit the frog and toad,” Bigella shrugged. “Can we see the Bay of Fires on the way? I’ve dreamed of going there since I was a little girl.”

    “Probably won’t get a chance to if we want to make it to The Big Thumbs-Up before sunset,” I snorted. “But you can look up those fires or whatever they are on YouTube when we get home.”

    “Oh Bigs,” my companion gasped. “Sometimes I ponder why I put up with you!”


  • George Bruny, Bruny Island, Tas

    George Bruny, Alonnah, Bruny Island, Tasmania

    Bruny Island was once famous for its white sand beaches, scrumptious cheese, and pristine wilderness. But tourists now flock to this Tasmanian archipelago to marvel at something even more spectacular – a rather large metal bird.

    Please say a warm ‘Bock-bock-bock!’ to George Bruny, a plucky heron (or maybe even a Cape Barren Goose) who’s every bit as handsome and charismatic as the movie star he’s named after.

    Just to be clear, that movie star is George Clooney – the roguish star of ER, Ocean’s Eleven, and a quite lubricious dream I had a few nights ago. Bruny, Clooney, it’s really quite clever if you think about it.

    Crafted from corrugated iron and old bits of pipe, Gorgeous George can be found on the outskirts of Alonnah, opposite the historic St Brendan’s Church. With his outrageous orange beak and frazzled expression, he welcomes gaggles of visitors to this windswept corner of the island.

    Everybody, it seems, has heard about this bird.

    Much like George Clooney, George Bruny is a little bit rustic, a little bit wacky, and all sorts of amazing.

    You really need to chick him out!

    Goose on the Loose

    Georgie-boy may not be the largest or best-known resident of the Land of the Bigs, but here’s a fun fact – he is the southernmost. Go on, check it out on The Ultimate Aussie Big Things Map, just to be sure.

    Bet The Big Penguin was in a fowl mood when he found out!

    Admiring a Biggie like George is hungry work, so why not pop over to the beloved Bruny Baker Bread Fridge to fuel up afterwards. Overflowing with zesty sourdough and choc-chip cookies, this self-service fridge is just two minutes drive away (or 30 if you get stuck behind a Hyundai i20 loaded up with Chinese tourists).

    Or follow George’s bill towards the legendary Hotel Bruny, where a little birdie told me you can grab a dozen oysters and a bowl of ocean-fresh calamari rings. Yummy yummy.

    By George, you’ll love it here on Bruny!

  • The Big Globe, Ulverstone, Tas

    The Big Globe, Ulverstone, Tasmania

    Ulverstone is widely regarded as Tassie’s global city, so it makes sense they’d have a gigantic planetary globe on display. Built in the mid-80s, The Big Globe is looking a bit run-down these days, but remains a world-class attraction.

    But here’s the best bit – it spins!

    Sure, the whole thing feels a bit wonky, and I was worried it would fall off its spindle and roll into Bass Strait, but how many other Bigs can you rotate with the flick of a wrist?

    The Big Globe can be found in the picturesque Shropshire Park, by the banks of the River Leven. The garden was built to honour the crew of HMAS Shropshire, and the globe details the activities of the Royal Australian Navy during World War II.

    Informative, patriotic and impressively prop-orb-tioned. What a well-rounded Big Thing this is.

    No doubt about it, this kitschy attraction has become a global phenomenon. If you haven’t organised a trip to Ulverstone, you should planet soon. Ooh, aren’t my jokes his-spherical!

    Not surprisingly, I highly recommend seeing it, unless you’re a flat-earther!

    It’s a small world after all… or is it?

    Alright, pointdexter, I know what you’re thinking: “Bigs, the Earth has a circumference of 40,075km and this replica is, at most, about five or six metres around. Therefore it is much smaller than the real thing and, by definition, not a Big.”

    That’s why I’m Australia’s foremost expert on Big Things and you – despite being a lovely person – are not.

    The Big Globe is not a recreation of the actual Earth, but of a terrestrial globe. You know, the ones that are the size of a netball and usually sit on someone’s desk. Anyone who disagrees just has a bad latitude!

    Plus, it’s called The Big Globe, so it’s right there in the name. Just like the nearby Big Penguin and Big Tassie Devil.

    All Taswegians should be proud of their giant, geographically-correct recreation of a marginally smaller recreation of the Earth.

  • The Big Tasmanian Devil, Mole Creek, TAS

    The Big Tasmanian Devil, Mole Creek, Tasmania

    Don’t be frightened of this fang-flashing fella, because he’s friendly! And he wouldn’t be able to chase you anyway, because he’s missing his back legs and just sort of merges into the fertile Tasmanian earth. The Tassie Terror is a curious and unforgettable Big in a quiet corner of the country, and you’ll have a hell of a time if you visit this devil!

    Despite extensive research from myself and my sidekick, Brazilian Big Thing savant Bebezinha Grande, we were unable to pinpoint the devil’s exact age. Going by the style of the craftsmanship, which is eccentric, whimsicall and slightly homemade, my guess is he arrived sometime in the 70s. He certainly looks good for his age!

    The titanic Tassie lives out the front of Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary, where you can see smaller, more active devils for a small fee. That’s not marsupi-all they have, either, because the sanctuary is home to wombats, kangaroos, quolls, pademelons, owls, eagles, swans and ducks. No penguins, though, but you can see one of those just up the road.

    Speaking of the Big Penguin, the Tassie Devil seems a bit underdressed in comparison. In fact, you could say that the Devil wears nada!

    Nearby Mole Creek is home to 609 very friendly people and is famous for its honey, the nearby limestone caves, and the historic Mole Creek Hotel – which has a Big Tassie Tiger above the door! The village is also ideally positioned within 90 minutes drive of the astonishing Dove Lake and Cradle Mountain, so nature lovers are in for a treat. There are no moles around, though, making this another town that should be renamed to better represent its most famous resident.

    I was absolutely devil-stated to say goodby to this happy chappy!

  • The Big Penguin, Penguin, TAS

    The Big Penguin, Penguin, Tasmania

    The good folk of the charming seaside village of Penguin must’ve struggled for years to decide which Big Thing would best represent them, before finally deciding on a penguin. And what a marvellous, happy chap he is, with a gorgeous smile on his beak, a proud posture, and a delightful top hat upon his handsome head.

    This 3.15m-tall Taswegian is very cool indeed, and represents everything good and wondrous about Australia’s Big Things. He’s beautifully crafted, represents his region well, and demands to have his photo taken. Visitors can’t help but feel good around him – he’s a true national treasure!

    It hasn’t been an easy journey for this frigid flightless fellow, and his incredible story is something you likely haven’t bird about. He was supposed to fly in to celebrate the town’s centenary in 1975, but the company behind the project got cold feet and were unable to follow through.

    A local hero, Mr R.M. Foster, tottered in to take over construction and had our avian amigo constructed out of cement within three days. A more deserving member of the Big Hall of Fame you’ll never meet!

    Q: Why shouldn’t you write a book on penguins?
    A: Beak-ause writing a book on paper is much easier!

    Penguins are worshipped as demi-gods in her home city of Florianópolis, so my companion for this trip, Brazilian Big Things aficionado Professora Bebezinha Grande, was over the moon to meet him. She’s a very small woman and he’s a very large penguin, so they were best friends in no time! Professora Grande also enjoyed meeting the slightly smaller, but still oversized, penguin that resides outside the Visitor Information Centre across the road.

    The Big Penguin is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attractions in this part of the world. The village is lovely, with plenty of places to eat and drink, whether it’s warm and sunny or fireplace weather. The penguin theme runs throughout the streets, with bins and bollards all decorated as black-and-white birds.

    Stanley, home of a long-extinct volcano known as The Nut, is just an hour’s drive west. Most importantly, the Penguin’s best mates, the Big Tassie Devil, The Big Wickets and Robin, are nearby so pop down to say g’day! It’s an informal and friendly region, so don’t bother bringing your penguin suit.

    This roadside attraction is a peng-winner, so run, don’t waddle, to see him as soon as possible!

  • The Big Wickets, Westbury, TAS

    The Big Wickets, Westbury, Tasmania

    Stumped for something to do this weekend? Then run out to see this above-average-sized set of cricket wickets – they’ll bowl you over!

    The very appealing Big Wickets were swing-stalled one day in 2009, in honour of Tasmania’s first Test cricket player, Jack Badcock. The wickets are an astonishing six-metres-tall, meaning Jack would’ve stood 15 metres if he was in proportion to them!

    So maybe they should’ve called him Jack Bigco… alright, maybe not!

    Despite some fine craftsmanship and impressive dimensions, the wickets are a little uninspired. An oversized cricket ball resting by one of the wickets would really make this attraction pop.

    Perhaps even a batting helmet or a protective box, just to be quirky. I’m inclined to agree, as it would add some much-needed colour – like those zany hexapi up in Burnie! Regardless of these minor issues, this maiden believes it’s a keeper!

    If you’re running a little late, don’t worry, because it’s not six-o’clock and out and there’s no nightwatchman, so you can admire them 24 hours a day! Or maybe even five days in a row if you want an authentic Test cricket experience.

    Bat wait, there’s more! The fun’s not over once you bail from the Big Wickets. Westbury is a dazzling town with heaps to offer, such as the baffling hedge maze with more than a kilometre of pathways, and Pearns Steam World, with one of the world’s largest collections of historic trains. It’s a quiet place where time seems to stop, within a short drive of Mole Creek, home of the lovable Big Tasmanian Devil, and not too far from the Big Penguin.

    Or maybe you could head up to Cootamundra for more cricket fun!

    Don’t get caught behind, duck in today!